2023 Western Conference Playoff Race - Kraken Style

[tank44]

Wednesday March 22nd games of interest (all/both of them today)
Pittsburgh @ Colorado - Go Pens! Avs 3 pts up on Kraken & have 1 game in hand
Arizona @ Edmonton - Go Yotes! Oilers 3 pts up on Kraken & Kraken have 1 game in hand already

 

[Scomerica]

Wednesday March 22nd games of interest (all/both of them today)
Pittsburgh @ Colorado - Go Pens! Avs 3 pts up on Kraken & have 1 game in hand
Arizona @ Edmonton - Go Yotes! Oilers 3 pts up on Kraken & Kraken have 1 game in hand already

I still find it bizarre how so many people see the Oilers as cup contenders yet we still are within reaching distance of them in the standings and never get talked about. Is it just due to their star power and the belief they'll up their game in the play offs? I just don't see their defense and goaltending as good enough, feels like they have so many 5-4, 4-3 type games which is fine if you can keep outscoring everyone but eventually a team in the play offs will slow that offense down even just for a few games. A risky strategy.

 

[The Marquis]

I still find it bizarre how so many people see the Oilers as cup contenders yet we still are within reaching distance of them in the standings and never get talked about. Is it just due to their star power and the belief they'll up their game in the play offs? I just don't see their defense and goaltending as good enough, feels like they have so many 5-4, 4-3 type games which is fine if you can keep outscoring everyone but eventually a team in the play offs will slow that offense down even just for a few games. A risky strategy.

Canadian hockey media

 

[kihei]

I think the Preds are more of a threat to us than the Flames, who just can't seem to get it together all season long.

Speaking of Jones.
Hopefully Grubauer can play(or D'Accord gets a start) cause I'm not all that hopefull going into those next four games(Dallas, 2x Nashville, Minnesota) relying on Jones in net.

Completely agree, I think the Flames are just about out of runway.

Concerning the Beniers discussion above, I very much agree he is a 200 foot player who should be getting the experience that will help his game grow. My caveat, though, is that I thought earlier in the game he looked a step slow and/or a bit tired. It's been a long season and I think he may be wearing down a bit. I wouldn't have had him on the ice at the end of the third period last night.

 

[Scomerica]

Canadian hockey media

You'd think they were way ahead in the division the way the main forum talks about them. Feels like even Vegas don't get talked about much despite being a bit ahead of the rest

 

[The Marquis]

You'd think they were way ahead in the division the way the main forum talks about them. Feels like even Vegas don't get talked about much despite being a bit ahead of the rest

Same reason for Vegas. Every Canadian team and their players are looked at as being 20% better than they are because of the Canadian hockey media. It’s silly silly stuff. The oilers do have McJesus though

 

[RainyCityHockey]

Wednesday March 22nd games of interest (all/both of them today)
Pittsburgh @ Colorado - Go Pens! Avs 3 pts up on Kraken & have 1 game in hand
Arizona @ Edmonton - Go Yotes! Oilers 3 pts up on Kraken & Kraken have 1 game in hand already

Pittsburgh beat Colorado 5-2 while the Oilers escaped the Yotes with a 4-3 OT win.

BTW: The Yotes are also at it again, throwing away a top pick in a fantastic draft class by playing way above their means and probably ending up in the 7 - 10 range.

I'd be laughing at it, but we've got to play them three times withi a week in April and need the points/need them to not go nuts against us.

 

[brewski420]

Completely agree, I think the Flames are just about out of runway.

Concerning the Beniers discussion above, I very much agree he is a 200 foot player who should be getting the experience that will help his game grow. My caveat, though, is that I thought earlier in the game he looked a step slow and/or a bit tired. It's been a long season and I think he may be wearing down a bit. I wouldn't have had him on the ice at the end of the third period last night.

I have been thinking the same thing about Beniers. I do believe he has hit a bit of a wall which is totally understandable and really shouldn't be surprising. I think he will be fine and getting a goal might pull him out of it I say hopefully.

He is definitely a 200 ft player and reminds me more and more of Ron Francis when I watched him with the Penguins.

 

[tank44]

Pittsburgh beat Colorado 5-2 while the Oilers escaped the Yotes with a 4-3 OT win.

BTW: The Yotes are also at it again, throwing away a top pick in a fantastic draft class by playing way above their means and probably ending up in the 7 - 10 range.

I'd be laughing at it, but we've got to play them three times withi a week in April and need the points/need them to not go nuts against us.

The Oilers were losing most of the game. Got a late 3rd period goal to tie it. Then the Coyotes give MacDavid 2 breakaways for game over. Sometimes Oilers look unbeatable and other times they look average at best. Real weird.

 

[Kat Predator]

The Oilers were losing most of the game. Got a late 3rd period goal to tie it. Then the Coyotes give MacDavid 2 breakaways for game over. Sometimes Oilers look unbeatable and other times they look average at best. Real weird.

Leaving the most dangerous guy in hockey unguarded twice in OT will get you that loser point.

 

[The Marquis]

Pittsburgh beat Colorado 5-2 while the Oilers escaped the Yotes with a 4-3 OT win.

BTW: The Yotes are also at it again, throwing away a top pick in a fantastic draft class by playing way above their means and probably ending up in the 7 - 10 range.

I'd be laughing at it, but we've got to play them three times withi a week in April and need the points/need them to not go nuts against us.

It's because the Yotes already know they won't get the top pick, even if they come in 32nd. They KNOW.

 

[RainyCityHockey]

It's because the Yotes already know they won't get the top pick, even if they come in 32nd. They KNOW.

I expect Chicago to get it as well(would like it for Columbus, though) but having a top 3 pick is still better than drafting at number 7 - 9, which is what they're shooting for right now.

I mean, their GM completely tore down everything, especially for this draft, and getting a pick in the 7 - 9 range is just absolutely brutal for that rebuild.

 

[Scomerica]

I expect Chicago to get it as well(would like it for Columbus, though) but having a top 3 pick is still better than drafting at number 7 - 9, which is what they're shooting for right now.

I mean, their GM completely tore down everything, especially for this draft, and getting a pick in the 7 - 9 range is just absolutely brutal for that rebuild.

Shouldn't Arizona's previous draft picks/prospects be coming through soon though? If they are as good as advertised the Coyotes could have a good team soon. Unless they do their usual and don't develop them right/trade them off.

 

[RainyCityHockey]

Shouldn't Arizona's previous draft picks/prospects be coming through soon though? If they are as good as advertised the Coyotes could have a good team soon. Unless they do their usual and don't develop them right/trade them off.

The have some interesting prospects but this is the year you want a top four/five pick.
And they once again throw it away even though their GM barely gives his coach(who's doing a great job BTW) NHL caliber guys to work with.

Their top defenseman right now is JJ Moser, a former 2nd round pick, and their top offensive guy(nextz to Clayton Keller, who's having a career year) is Mattias Maccelli a former 3rd round pick.

 

[Scomerica]

Calgary lose. They must be just about done

 

[kihei]

Last night was a striking demonstration of what a first-rate goalie can do to help his/her team.

 

[kihei]

Calgary is toast, still seven points behind. They might not even get seven points in their remaing nine games

Look ai this way. Two of three teams will make the wild card spots and we are ahead of both of them. All we have to do the rest of the way is be better than one of them-- either Winnipeg or Nashville will do.

 

[RainyCityHockey]

Calgary is toast, still seven points behind. They might not even get seven points in their remaing nine games

Look ai this way. Two of three teams will make the wild card spots and we are ahead of both of them. All we have to do the rest of the way is be better than one of them-- either Winnipeg or Nashville will do.

Would be a good thing to win tomorrow.

 

[Scomerica]

Would be a good thing to win tomorrow.

Especially in regular time with no loser points to them

 

[The Marquis]

Calgary is toast, still seven points behind. They might not even get seven points in their remaing nine games

Look ai this way. Two of three teams will make the wild card spots and we are ahead of both of them. All we have to do the rest of the way is be better than one of them-- either Winnipeg or Nashville will do.

We don’t even need the Kraken to be better, just have to match their results. Hurray. I really hope it pans out

 

[Scomerica]

Do we want the kings to beat the keys today? Gives us more wiggle room but still gives Nashville life

 

[Scomerica]

Do I have my math right that if Nashville won out we'd need to win 6/10 games but the more they lose the less we need to win e.g 5 if they lose to Toronto tomorrow etc? Or is it 5 but ,4 if they lose?

Wonder if we could clinch next week?

 

[topcatone]

Do I have my math right that if Nashville won out we'd need to win 6/10 games but the more they lose the less we need to win e.g 5 if they lose to Toronto tomorrow etc? Or is it 5 but ,4 if they lose?

Wonder if we could clinch next week?

Don't temp fate. We have a ways to go. Hoping Vegas takes care of the OIlers (both on winning streaks) tonight.

 

[RainyCityHockey]

OK, so both Calgary and L.A. won while the Oilers got a loser point against the Golden Knights.

It seems more and more that either Vegas or L.A. will win the Pacific and get the #1 spot in the western conference.
The central division, on the other hand, is kind of a mess with no one really being able to get any kind of seperation.
Though, Colorado has two games in hand and could, if they win both, take over the division lead.

The Kraken are trailing Edmonton by three points(with one game in hand) while leading Winnipeg by three points(with two games in hand) and Calgary by seven points(with three games in hand).
Nashville's currently trailing the Kraken by eight points but has one game(against Toronto) in hand.

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The Kraken's remaining ten games are:
@ Minnesota
vs Anaheim
vs Los Angles
vs Arizona
@ Vancouver
vs Arizona
vs Chicago
@ Arizona
@ Vegas
vs Vegas

If we'd go 5-5 we'd end up with 98 points, which seems possible looking at the schedule.

The Flames, at best, can only achieve 97 points, if they win all of their remaining games.
The Preds could still achieve 102 points, by winning all of their games, and would need to go 9-1-1 in order to reach 99 points.
Winnipeg could still get to 101 points, by winning all their games, but they haven't looked great either.

Given that the winner of the pacific division will most likely win the western conference they'd play the #2 Wild Card Spot, currently held by Winnipeg.

Unless the Kraken ended up in that spot or somehow end up catching Edmonton, they'll play the winner of the central division which will be either Minnesota, Dallas or Colorado.

 

[Scomerica]

Don't temp fate. We have a ways to go. Hoping Vegas takes care of the OIlers (both on winning streaks) tonight.

I was worried about that until I saw Nashvilles remaining schedule. It's brutal.

If they somehow won out with that schedule they'd deserve to get in and everyone would be worried about them. They basically have to play the best eastern teams.

It would be fun to catch the oilers but their schedule is also favorable and they've been playing relatively well.

I'm hoping that goal spurt for us was the rest of the lines figuring it out and we go on another run.